Is God calling you to speak for Him? If you know anyone who needs to know Christ or to know Him better, the answer is “Yes!” After all, Jesus told His disciples to carry the gospel to all the nations, so there’s no one who doesn’t need to hear about Jesus, His power and His love. So, if we’ve been saved, we’ve been called to share the good news.

But we all have a million excuses, don’t we? “What if I offend someone and lose a friend in the process? What if I get asked a question I don’t know the answer to? I might say something wrong and lead someone in the wrong direction. I don’t have a dramatic conversion experience to share, so what could I possibly say that would do any good?” Yes, it’s all too easy, because of such fears, to leave the evangelism to the trained professionals, the preachers and teachers.

Jeremiah had the same sorts of misgivings, as we see in 1:6. So, how did God answer him? In the first place with a command: “You shall go.” The Great Commission, after all, isn’t an option. It’s our marching orders from our King. And we are to go, as verse 7 says, to all to all those to whom we are sent. And since we all have different groups of acquaintances, together we can make a much bigger impact for Christ than any professional can by himself or herself.

But as we go, God gives us two reassurances. First, verse 7 reminds us that we are only to speak what God has commanded us. Evangelism is not an exercise in imagination. All we need to say is what the Bible says. Of course, that means we all need to study, to spend more time in the Word. But all of us can also tell what we know right now; and if we knew enough about Jesus to trust Him as our Savior and bow the knee to Him as Lord, why should we imagine that what we found persuasive won’t be enough to help anyone else?

But the best assurance God gives us is found in verse 8: “I am with you.” That’s good news, because the only way people can respond to the gospel is for God to open their eyes and ears. That’s why we must not only speak the truth to others but pray for them to hear and respond to it.

Now, God doesn’t promise that all this will be easy. After all, God told Jeremiah that his message would overthrow some and build others up (v. 10). In the same way, those who are determined to continue in their sin probably won’t want to hear that they are in need of salvation and repentance. But God promises that He will deliver us from whatever difficulties may come our way (v. 8).

So let’s share the good news today, speaking the truth in love to those who need to hear it. Let’s tell what we know about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. God is calling – will we answer?

Jeremiah 1:4-10 (NASB)

4 Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.”
7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, And all that I command you, you shall speak.
8 “Do not be afraid of them, For I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
9 Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.
10 “See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.”